196 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART I. 



Other joys 

 -Are but toys, 

 And to be lamented." 



Jo. CHALKHILL. 



VEN. Well sung, Master ! This day's fortune and pleasure, 

 and this night's company and song, do all make me more and 

 more in love with Angling. Gentlemen, my Master left me 

 alone for an hour this day ; and I verily believe he retired him- 

 self from talking with me, that he might be so perfect in this 

 song ; was it not, Master ? 



Pise. Yes, indeed, for it is many years since I learned it ; 

 and having forgotten a part of it, I was forced to patch it up by 

 the help of mine own invention, who am not excellent at poetry, 

 as my part of the song may testify : but of that I will say no 

 more, lest you should think I mean by discommending it to beg 

 your commendations of it. And therefore, without replications, 

 let 's hear your catch, Scholar ; which I hope will be a good 

 one, for you are both musical and have a good fancy to boot. 



VEN. Marry, and that you shall ; and as freely as I would 

 have my honest Master tell me some more secrets of fish and 

 fishing as we walk and fish towards London to-morrow. But, 

 Master, first let me tell you that, that very hour which you 

 were absent from me, I sat down under a willow-tree by the 

 water-side, and considered what you had told me of the owner 

 of that pleasant meadow in which you then left me : that he 

 had a plentiful estate, and not a heart to think so ; that he had 

 at this time many lawsuits depending, and that they both 

 damped his mirth, and took up so much of his time and 

 thoughts, that he himself had not leisure to take the sweet con- 

 tent that I, who pretended no title to them, took in his fields : 

 for I could there sit quietly ; and, looking on the water, see 

 some fishes sport themselves in the silver streams, others leap- 

 ing at flies of several shapes and colors ; looking on the hills, I 

 could behold them spotted with woods and groves ; looking 

 down the meadows, could see here a boy gathering lilies and 



